Coming Home Part Two

In my previous post I mentioned how we usually send the mom to another foster home once she get's spayed.  It enables her to transition to the next stage of her life (post puppies) and to heal peacefully from the surgery.  Well, as I've already said, this family is different.

The morning after the pups came home was just another example of how this little family has bonded in the light of their story.  I had woken to feed the pups and clean up the messes that had occurred overnight.  I took the puppies outside to do their 'business' and eat breakfast.  I fed Lulu and my canine boys and let them out too.  They all spent about an hour outside while I cleaned up from the canine breakfast, made lunch for my daughter and did some things around the house.

I finished my tasks and planned to go upstairs to exercise so I brought the pups in from outside.  I put the puppies in their area in the laundry room and put Lulu and my boys in the gated area in the kitchen.  I closed the back door so the adult dogs couldn't use the doggy door to go outside.  I went  upstairs to exercise.

So I'm upstairs changing and there is a good bit of whining coming from the kitchen.  I went downstairs to discover Lulu at the gate and she was whining and pacing.  I opened the door to the backyard to see if she wanted to go to the bathroom.  Nope; she didn't even go toward the door.  I opened the gate to the kitchen she darted right out and went straight to the laundry room.

It's a unique set up in the laundry room but it works for me/us.  I have an x-pen set up with the door open so the dogs can get to the potty mat and then I have a crate they can crawl into which prevents them from accessing (and messing in) the rest of the laundry room.  I'll have to post a picture of this little setup because after ten litters and lots and lots of cleaning, I think we've found a great set up to managing the messes. 

So it becomes obvious to me Lulu wants to be with her pups, but she was just out of surgery and I didn't want the pups to try and nurse.  So instead of  putting her in the pen with the pups, I put a soft blanket outside the x-pen so they could be close but not intrusive.  The puppies squealed with delight at the sight of their mom and were frustrated they couldn't access her.  Lulu looked happy and settled right down in the bed so I went upstairs to exercise.

I came downstairs an hour or so later and walked into the laundry room and stood in amazement at the sight on the floor.  There was Lulu cuddled up on her blanket and what is that next to here I thought? I walked closer to discover that little Sammy, the runt of the litter who weighed all of maybe two pounds, had somehow pushed through the barricade of crates and pens so he could sleep cradled in the belly of his mom.  I teared up.  His brothers and sister hadn't made it through the barriers  but little Sammy, quiet, smart and thoughtful Sammy had made it through the barricades so he could sleep with his mom.   Lulu looked so peaceful, she was in a deep sleep and didn't stir at all when I entered and either did Sammy for that matter.  So I got my camera to take a picture and when I returned Lulu was up and looking at me as if to say "Please don't wake him, he's resting so peacefully". I just love this little family.